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London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Inbar Spector

Israeli born designer Inbar Spector showed an imaginative collection that was inspired by a huge fire that raged through most of her home town. Shown on Tuesday 20th September 2011 at Fashion Scout, with singer Gabby Young in attendance.

I was entirely new to Inbar Spector this London Fashion Week, having heard of the Israeli born designer from devotee Gabby Young just a day before the show. Gabby frequently wears Inbar Spector on stage and was of course in attendance on the front row.

The fabulously named Inbar Spector has become well known for complex constructions and rich fabrics, and this seasons collection was no different. It featured a strong gothic 80s feel in favoured materials such as zips, chains, lace and faux leather (in line with her strict vegetarian beliefs). For her S/S 2012 collection Inbar Spector was inspired by a great fire which destroyed the majority of her home town in Israel: visions of violence, fire and terrifying medical situations were all fed into the mix. She writes on the press release about the anticipation and excitement that is tinged with fear when Israelis go to any big public event or party in Israel. Hence a certain spikiness in the styling.

The show opened with a lacy garment over which was worn a loose patchwork metallic embossed jacket. Models were styled with scary haystack hair, a line of grips stacking up behind their ears. It was certainly a break with current hair styling trends.

Severe catwalk lighting meant that models gained a beautiful backlit halo as they neared the photographers’ pit, with every contour highlighted. Luckily the models also stopped right in front of me to allow the audience a closer look at the garments. An oversized silvery coat was my favourite of the outerwear but the faux leather worked just as well in a short golden dress. Delicate materials wrapped around the body in tangled layers, melding with the metallics.

Then out strode a model wearing the most breath-taking bubble dress made out of gossamer light material as if to resemble a wonky christmas fold out paper decoration. Another shorter tutu style dress in palest peach was paired with gold leather and yet another version entirely encased the body in intricate folds. I have no idea how Inbar Spector achieved these looks but they were quite staggering. The final two dresses were even more spectacular – the first in heaped tiers of frothy cream that wrapped around the model’s neck. The second showstopper would have been fit to dress a fairy atop the christmas tree – a vast concertina-ed dress made entirely in laser cut gold fabric. Astonishing and very unique.